My doctor’s office called yesterday to tell me that my repeat titer for the SS-B antibody was “within normal range.” I’ve learned through dealing with my eosinophilia that results can vary greatly between labs and the lab they used once reported my eosinophils at 8% when another lab reported it at 11%. The nurse that drew my blood said she was going to have to look up a code to label the vial with as they didn’t normally use the lab he wanted mine sent off to. Made me sort of feel he was stacking the deck against me, but I’m so jaded now when it comes to doctors that I’m likely being overly paranoid at this point.
The doctor’s office didn’t mention anything else when they called, so I can assume my blood work was normal? But my blood work is never “normal” so I’m thinking they didn’t do an actual CBC or else didn’t feel anything was out of range enough to mention. Now see, the obsessive, difficult patient in me wants to ask specifically what my white count and eosinophil counts were, but I’m trying to stop doing that. While it would be totally awesome to hear I have normal values there, as well, it can be mighty frustrating when they aren’t. I can’t count the times I’ve been told, “Everything was normal.” Then when I ask about those two things specifically, I learn they are actually elevated, but not related to the reason the test was ordered so it isn’t given a second thought.
I’ve asked twice now about my spinal fluid lacking any lymphocytes and monocytes, both times being told it isn’t important unless they are elevated. I’ve found several articles on that very thing with a wide variety of possible causes, though. In each case, it wasn’t taken very lightly. I’ll elaborate on that more when time allows.
For now, I’ve decided to just stick with the new doc and see if I can get him some copies of my medical records, since he didn’t receive any, and work on a list of my symptoms to see what he can help me with. Oh yes, I don’t think I mentioned that part. Since this was an 11th hour referral, he didn’t get my medical records from my regular doc or any of the other specialists I’ve seen. I doubt getting them to him will make much difference as he seemed to know my diagnosis before he walked in the room, based on my history given to his PA. I kind of figured that out when he started checking me for tender points and asked about morning stiffness. And let’s not forget that ever popular question, “What one symptom bothers you the most.” Ugggghhhhhh! Which day, doc?
